TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: Can this career be saved? From:"Al Geist" <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com> To:"'Melissa Nelson'" <melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 7 Jun 2011 11:57:36 -0400
I worked with a fellow writer at IBM-Burlington who graduated from Michigan
Tech. She liked the weather in Vermont better.....
Al Geist
Technical Communicator, Help, Web Design, Video, Photography
Office/Msg: 802-872-9190
Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
Website: www.geistassociates.com
See Also
Fine Art Photography
"We can't solve problems using the same kind of thinking we used to create
them." (Albert Einstein)
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+al -dot- geist=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+al -dot- geist=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Melissa Nelson
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 11:34 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Can this career be saved?
I spent 17 years in Michigan and went to Michigan Tech. I am in Baltimore
now, but I have heard from a few friends from college that things are
starting to pick up in Michigan. I even have a couple of friends that are
moving BACK to Detroit for work. Things may not be so bleek Becca. In fact,
who knows this might be the perfect time to get back into the game! As far
as the certificate, if it makes you feel more secure and you feel that it is
worth it..then IT IS WORTH IT!!
Good luck and keep up with this list. I have found it invaluable over the
years!
Melissa
> From: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
> To: dvora -at- tech-challenged -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: RE: Can this career be saved?
> Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2011 07:46:57 -0400
>
> Hi Deborah,
>
> While I agree with you about good writing, I tend to disagree about
> your slam at Michigan. I left Michigan in 1968 and have traveled and
> worked in many areas of the country since that time. In the 1970s, it
> was difficult to find good paying electronics jobs in California
> because of a technology "recession." The dot-com bust that hit the
> region 20 years later had PHds working at Wal-Mart because of all the
> software companies that went belly-up. Michigan, on the other hand,
> was booming (my brother and friends worked in the industry in Ann
> Arbor). I currently live in Vermont where technical writing is pretty
> tight. The decision by a large technology firm to close its Vermont
> operations and move everything back to Germany (after
> 30 years in the state) is only making it worse. (If you're a software
> writer, you probably have a better chance at getting work than if your
> background is hardware heavy, but both fields are pretty tight.)
>
> I have found the similar situations in Oregon, New Mexico, and Arizona
> when I lived in those states. Each place has had its ups and
> downs....Michigan is no different. Currently, there are opportunities
> in the Michigan's Southeast (Detroit, Ann Arbor, and so on) where old
> auto factories are being converted to solar panel and wind turbine
> production. In Holland, Michigan, a new Lithium Ion battery
> manufacturing facility is being constructed that will employ an
> estimated 1,000 people. (A friend is in charge of setting up the
> factory.) The plant will manufacture batteries for the Chevy Volt in
> the beginning and then expand to support other cars. It's changes like
> these that open up opportunities, because they will require new
> manufacturing procedures and training programs.
>
> California's "silicon valley" in the early 1980s, good talkers used to
> be able to increase their income every six months because there so
> many job openings. Today, the same area is hit with the double whammy
> of high unemployment and outrageous housing/renting costs. The weather
> may be great, and California wines are excellent, but if you can't
> find a decent paying job or, if you do, you can't afford a suitable
> apartment or house, you can't enjoy the weather or the wines.
>
> When I lived in Alaska (18 years), it was not exactly a hotbed for
> technical writing. Yet, I found work as a field producers for national
> coverage of a
> 1,000 mile sled dog race and freelance articles from Alaska were
> always good sellers. I also headed the Academic Services for a
> University of Alaska Fairbanks research institute, and developed
> proposals for an Alaska Native Village Corporation (I am not native)
> responding to local, state, and federal RFPs. At the latter, we
> offered support services for government facilities all across the
> country and it was quite successful. (I only left because the kids
> were grown and gone, and 18 years of 50 below nothing winters was
> getting tiring.)
>
> So, every place has its ups and downs. In my opinion Michigan is
> coming back, Vermont is sliding down. Regardless of the local
> economics, the key to success is versatility, as I found out in
> Alaska, and that is what Becca needs to focus on. If she has good
> writing skills, she can apply those skills in both traditional and
> non-traditional situations. It all depends on how hungry you are and
> how strong your writing drive is. The tools are easy to learn....
>
> As for Michigan....after 43 years and a lot of travels, I am retiring
> back to my home state and look forward to basking in the sun on the
> shores of Lake Michigan (Ludington area) with the morning paper and a hot
cup of joe.
>
> Al Geist
> Technical Communicator, Help, Web Design, Video, Photography
> Office/Msg: 802-872-9190
> Cell: 802-578-3964
> E-mail: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
> Website: www.geistassociates.com
>
> See Also
> Fine Art Photography
>
> "We can't solve problems using the same kind of thinking we used to
> create them." (Albert Einstein)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+al -dot- geist=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+al -dot- geist=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
> om] On Behalf Of Deborah Hemstreet
> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 12:39 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Can this career be saved?
>
> >
> >
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with
Doc-To-Help.
> Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
> Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
>http://www.doctohelp.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com -dot-
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit
>http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/melmis36%40hotmail.
> com
>
>
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
>http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
>
> Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
>http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat
>
Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days. http://www.doctohelp.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com -dot-
Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days. http://www.doctohelp.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
